First Thing I See by Vi Keeland

Garrett didn’t care.  He bragged he kept
extra copies around and let them slip on the floor if a woman was initially
resistant to his boyish charms.  
                    Kennedy deadpanned to his brother.  “You
will go nowhere near Hope or any of her friends.”
                    Garrett whistled.  “Oh boy, big brother’s
got it bad, doesn’t he?”   He smiled to Franklin.
                    Franklin smiled back.  “If you met this one
Garrett, you’d understand. As beautiful on the inside as on the out.”
                    Garrett pushed his luck.  “I don’t care what
they look like on the inside, but I do care what they taste like on the
inside.”  He raised and lowered his eyebrows a few times and smiled widely
revealing smaller versions of his big brother’s sexy dimples.
                    Kennedy ran his fingers through his hair and
looked to Franklin for support, completely ignoring Garrett.  “It’s driving me
crazy that she is so far away.  Last week I watched some drunk asshole put his
hands on her and I nearly lost my mind. “
                    “So move her out here.”  Franklin shrugged
his shoulders like it was a simple solution.
                    Garrett arched an eyebrow at his brother. 
“Are you in love with her?”
                    Words weren’t necessary.  Garrett and
Franklin smiled and watched Kennedy toss his drink back and blow out a deep
breath.  How had he not realized that he had fallen in love with Hope until
now?  

Chapter 1 4
     
                    Wednesday morning I was halfway to work when
I started to have the feeling that someone was watching me.  It wasn’t the
first time that I had felt it lately.  Today it just seemed closer.  I looked
around as I quickened my pace and saw a typical New York City morning.  Masses
of people walking in all directions at twice the speed that people moved back
in Oregon.  People alone with headphones, people talking on the phone, cars
trying to turn while people filled the walkway.   I scanned the crowd again
when I reached the final block to work and slowed to really look at the people
around me.  No one in particular seemed to be watching me. 
                    Now that I was done training on the general
hotel positions, my days were caught up in event planning.  Most days I spent
half the day meeting with potential new clients who were interested in planning
an event at The Monet, and the other half working on planning events that had
been booked.  Today I spent the morning with a woman that I had vaguely
recognized from the society pages, who was interested in booking her daughter’s
first birthday in the Grand Ballroom.  While it was great for business, I had
to wonder what the woman would do for the little girl’s second or third
birthday to top such an exaggerated first party.    Lunchtime came quickly and
I decided to have lunch in the park before making my way over to Park Avenue
for an afternoon meeting with a party planner I would be working with on an
upcoming charity event held at The Monet.
                    The leaves in the park were almost all on
the ground and the ground was filled with vibrant autumn color.  Deep orange
and reds lined the path though the park and I decided to sit on a park bench
close to the dog park.  I loved to watch the owners interact with their dogs
when they thought no one was looking.   I wasn’t sure if it was the feeling of
being watched this morning, seeing dogs run around in an open area, or the
beautiful fall colors that made me want to call my dad to check in.  We hadn’t
spoken in a while and I knew that he was expecting me home for Thanksgiving.
                    “Hi Candace, is my dad around?”  I knew she
hated it when I called her Candace.  Everyone else called her